“We are aware that he had been lobbying at the centre to get me out of the race in order to pave the way for one of the aspirants. Indeed, one of the aspirants had boasted openly that Oshiomhole would cancel the primary once he arrived, shortly before his arrival.” And contrary to the allegations that thugs loyal to him disrupted the primary, Sylva said he was the one who prevented the “crowd” from manhandling the Edo State Governor and even accompanied him to the gate when he was going to eat.

Governor Seriake Dickson, PDP candidate, waiting in the ring for APC to sort things out

“Seventh, if Oshiomhole has anything personal against me, let him tell the world. We are shocked that the man who claims to be morally upright with a strong ethical orientation would land in Yenagoa for an exercise in which he ought to be an impartial arbiter with a helicopter provided by a friend of one of the aspirants,” said Sylva.

The war of words between the two leading members of APC will certainly continue for some time. But ultimately, how the national leadership of APC handles the rescheduled gubernatorial primary and the reaction of Sylva group to it may determine the fortunes of the party in a state currently under the leadership of Governor Seriake Dickson of Peoples Democratic Party. Dickson has already emerged the sole gubernatorial candidate for the election, waiting for the APC challenger.

Analysts said that except the national leadership of the party is able to calm frayed nerves ahead of the December election, the ultimate beneficiary may be the ruling PDP which may be handed a cheap victory in the polls as a result of disunity within the ranks of APC.